Magic Millions graduates continued their domination in two-year-old races around the country today with Gold Coast sold runners winning all three metropolitan races contested.
The winning run for freshman sire Husson continued with promising youngster Ferment scoring an impressive win in the Laura Butcher Memorial Plate (1100m) at Caulfield.
Prepared by John Thompson, Ferment found plenty under in form senior rider Jamie Mott to win by three parts of a length – despite losing ground when wobbling around the home turn.
Ferment was purchased by the Patinack Farm team for $60,000 at the 2010 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale at the Gold Coast.
The youngster was bred and sold by the Marheine family’s Stratheden Stud – they also sold Ferment’s dam Catalyst to Patinck Farm at the National Broodmare Sale a few days later for the same price.
Ferment is the fourth individual juvenile winner for Patinack Farm’s resident sire Husson. His first winner in Australia, Hussousa won the Gimcrack Stakes on debut earlier in the season.
“He is definitely up there with the best two-year-olds,” Jamie Mott said after the race. “He acts up a fair bit but if they can get on top of that he should be up to the good races.”
Glen Thompson, foreman for his brother John, said Ferment would “most likely” be gelded into the future.
“He’s got a few tricks up his sleeve and has done a good job to get here and get through the race,” Thompson said.
A short time later up in Sydney the Ingham family raced Fundido raced clear for an outstanding debut win in the Blackwoods Sidchrome Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill.
A $70,000 purchase from January’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Fundido sat outside the favourite Lyric throughout before bursting clear in the straight for a strong win.
At the post Fundido held a length and three quarter margin over Lyric, while the well bred Brave Soul was a long neck further back in third place.
“We’ll plot a path to the Magic Millions (2YO Classic),” a delighted Waller said after the race.
“He was purchased up there and that win will get him into the race I think.”
“He’s a natural two-year-old and I haven’t had many of those,” Waller added.
A graduate of Bowness Stud, Fundido is by the Ingham’s former champion galloper Lonhro and way an unraced half sister to group winning juvenile Way West.
The promising young prospect hails from the family of At Talaq and Annoconnor.
Meanwhile, Gillian Heinrich’s dreams of a second win in the BMW Magic Millions 2YO Classic were boosted when promising filly Military Bride won the Hamilton Hotel Handicap (1000m) at Eagle Farm.
A daughter of General Nediym and a $55,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale bargain buy, Military Bride finished strongly along the inside to beat Optionality, while stablemate Read All About Me was a third.
“She’s always shown good ability and she benefited from the run the other day and the blinkers certainly did the trick.”
“Brad (Stewart, jockey) suggested the blinkers would help after her fifth at Doomben and she did a good job today.”
“She’s a pretty adaptable filly and Brad said there’s still a fair bit of improvement in her.”
Heinrich scored the biggest win of her training career when Military Rose won the Magic Millions Classic in 2010 and she’s hoping to do it again two years later.
“Give me a Magic Millions win over a Melbourne Cup any day. It’s the race I most want to win. It gave me the biggest thrill when Military Rose won.”
“Let’s hope I can do it again – we’ve got two into the field now and I’m hoping Read All About Me might get there as well,” she added.
Heinrich already has Pure Whisper heading to the race after an impressive debut win in early November.
Military Bride could run in the Calaway Gal Stakes in a fortnight, while Pure Whisper will run in the Phelan Ready Stakes on the same day.
PICS – Sportpix (Fundido) and Dan Costello (Military Bride).